North Carolina

Let’s Visit North Carolina

Join our virtual tour highlighting the top tourist attractions in North Carolina
For an overview of the state, see: National Geographic Kids. North Carolina

Highlights

Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina (24dupontchevy, Wikimedia CCA 2.0)

Let’s learn more about some fascinating places worth seeing in North Carolina.

Biltmore Estate (Asheville) is famous for being the largest privately-owned home in the U.S., with 250 rooms, beautiful gardens, and a winery, making it a must-see for architecture and history lovers.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Western North Carolina) is known for its stunning natural beauty, offering incredible hiking trails, scenic drives, and diverse wildlife. It is also the most visited national park in the U.S.
Wright Brothers National Memorial (Kill Devil Hills) is famous for being the site of the first successful powered flight by the Wright brothers in 1903, marking a significant moment in aviation history.
Blue Ridge Parkway (spanning from Virginia to North Carolina) is renowned for being one of America’s most scenic drives, offering breathtaking views of the Appalachian Mountains and popular for hiking, picnicking, and photography.
North Carolina Zoo (Asheboro) is the world’s largest natural habitat zoo, home to hundreds of species from North America and Africa, allowing visitors to see animals in expansive, naturalistic environments.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Outer Banks) is famous for its pristine beaches, historic lighthouses, and ideal conditions for surfing and kiteboarding, making it a popular destination for water sports enthusiasts.
Chimney Rock State Park (Chimney Rock) is known for its iconic 315-foot granite rock formation and incredible views of Hickory Nut Gorge, offering hiking trails and panoramic views from the top of the rock.
Battleship North Carolina (Wilmington) is a WWII-era battleship that is now a museum, allowing visitors to explore the ship and learn about its role in naval history during the Pacific Theater of World War II.
Linville Gorge and Falls (Linville) is one of North Carolina’s most scenic areas, known for its dramatic cliffs, beautiful waterfalls, and rugged hiking trails, earning it the nickname The Grand Canyon of the East.
Outer Banks (coastal North Carolina) is a famous stretch of barrier islands known for its historic shipwrecks, wild horses, and beautiful sandy beaches, attracting tourists for its history and seaside charm.

Intriguing mysteries and weird facts

Orville and WIlbur Wright’s First successful flight in 1903 near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (John T. Daniels, Wikimedia Commons)

Discover these little-known facts about North Carolina.

The First Successful Flight Happened in North Carolina
In 1903, the Wright brothers made history with the first powered flight at Kill Devil Hills, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, marking the start of modern aviation.
Home to the Oldest State University in the U.S.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, founded in 1789, is the oldest public university in the United States and has been continuously operating since its founding.
Blackbeard the Pirate Made His Home in North Carolina
The infamous pirate Blackbeard, or Edward Teach, called North Carolina home and frequently terrorized the seas off the state’s coast before his death in a battle off Ocracoke Island in 1718.
You Can Find Wild Horses on the Outer Banks
The Outer Banks are home to wild horses that have roamed the islands for hundreds of years, believed to be descendants of Spanish mustangs brought over by explorers in the 1500s.
North Carolina Grows More Sweet Potatoes Than Any Other State
North Carolina is the top producer of sweet potatoes in the U.S., and sweet potatoes are so important that the state made them the official state vegetable.
It’s Illegal to Use Elephants to Plow Cotton Fields
There’s an old, quirky law in North Carolina that specifically forbids using elephants to plow cotton fields.
The Venus Flytrap Is Native to North Carolina
The Venus Flytrap, one of the coolest carnivorous plants in the world, is actually native to the wetlands of North Carolina and can still be found growing in the wild.
A Town Tried to Change Its Name to Speed Up Internet Service
The town of Speed, North Carolina, jokingly offered to change its name to “Google” in 2010 in hopes of winning Google’s high-speed internet project, showing just how far people will go for better Wi-Fi.
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Was Founded in North Carolina
Krispy Kreme, the famous doughnut chain, got its start in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 1937. The original recipe is still a closely guarded secret.
The State Is Home to the Largest Private Home in the U.S.
The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, is the largest privately-owned home in the United States, with 250 rooms and over 8,000 acres of land.

Notable People

Here are 10 famous men and women from North Carolina.

Famous Men

Andrew Jackson, 7th President of the United States (painting by Ralph Eleaser Whiteside Earl ,WIkimedia Commons)

Michael Jordan (1963– ) was born in Brooklyn, New York, but raised in Wilmington, North Carolina. He is widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time, winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and two Olympic gold medals.
Andrew Jackson (1767–1845) was born on the border of North and South Carolina and became the seventh President of the United States. He is known for his role in expanding presidential powers and his controversial policies toward Native Americans.
James K. Polk (1795–1849) was born in Pineville, North Carolina, and became the 11th President of the United States. He is famous for his role in expanding U.S. territory during the Mexican-American War.
Billy Graham (1918–2018) was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, and became one of the most influential Christian evangelists of the 20th century, preaching to millions worldwide through his revivals and media presence.
Richard Petty (1937– ) was born in Level Cross, North Carolina, and is one of the most successful NASCAR drivers in history, with 200 career wins and seven championships, earning him the nickname “The King.”

Famous Women

Ava Gardner from the 1951 movie ‘Show Boat’, MGM, Wikimedia Commons)

Maya Angelou (1928–2014) was born in St. Louis but spent much of her childhood in Stamps, North Carolina. She became an acclaimed poet, author, and civil rights activist, best known for her autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
Ava Gardner (1922–1990) was born in Grabtown, North Carolina, and became one of Hollywood’s most iconic actresses in the 1940s and 1950s, starring in films like The Killers and Mogambo.
Nina Simone (1933–2003) was born in Tryon, North Carolina, and was a groundbreaking musician and civil rights activist. She is famous for her powerful songs that combined jazz, blues, and classical music, such as Feeling Good and Mississippi Goddam.
Elizabeth Dole (1936– ) was born in Salisbury, North Carolina, and became a prominent political figure, serving as U.S. Senator from North Carolina and Secretary of Transportation and Labor. She was also the president of the American Red Cross.
Virginia Dare (1587– ) was born in Roanoke Colony, North Carolina, and is famous for being the first English child born in the Americas. Her mysterious disappearance with the Lost Colony of Roanoke remains one of America’s oldest unsolved mysteries.

Date of Ratification of the Articles of Confederation/

Admission to the Union

November 21, 1789 (12th)

State Capital and Government

North Carolina new Legislative Building in Raleigh (Clay Nolan, Wikimedia Commons)

Raleigh
Government of North Carolina

Area and Total Population

Area: 48,618 square mile

Population: 9,944,000

Major cities and their population

City	Population
Charlotte	911,000
Raleigh	482,000
Greensboro	302,000
Durham	296,000
Winston-Salem	253,000
Fayetteville	210,000
Asheville	95,000
Greenville	90,000
Chapel Hill	62,000
Wake Forest	54,000